Context:

A young black bear in Michigan was recently freed from a plastic lid that had been stuck around its neck for two years. The bear, initially spotted in 2023 with its head trapped in a 5-inch hole of a blue plastic lid, eluded capture despite multiple sightings on trail cameras. This lid, typically used on 50-gallon drums by hunters, exemplifies the dangers of improperly sized baiting containers which can seriously harm wildlife. Finally, in May, the bear was captured and sedated in Montmorency County, allowing rescuers to remove the lid. Now free from the encumbering collar, the bear, weighing 110 pounds, was released back into its natural habitat to continue its life unimpeded.

Dive Deeper:

• In 2023, a young black bear in Michigan was found with a plastic lid stuck around its neck, a situation that persisted for two years as the bear grew, making the lid tighter and more hazardous.

• The lid, with a 5-inch diameter hole, is common on 50-gallon drums often used by hunters, posing significant risks to wildlife when containers have openings of inappropriate sizes, leading to potential injury or death.

• Cody Norton from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources highlighted the importance of proper container opening sizes to prevent such incidents, noting similar cases in other states like Florida, Wisconsin, and Tennessee.

• Despite being periodically captured on trail cameras, the bear remained elusive until May when it was finally trapped, sedated, and freed from the lid in Montmorency County, Michigan.

• Once freed from the plastic lid, the bear, weighing 110 pounds, was safely released back into the wild, with officials hoping its future movements will be unhindered by human-made obstacles.